Article written by Dan Reiter In the summer of 2001, I was couch crashing up in Topanga Canyon with a crew of lunatics and musicians who’d set up a commune under the pretense of a dog-sitting job for the screenwriter of Space Cowboys. We were young and wild and unstrapped, and figured we could clean […]

The museum recently received a special donation from local resident Mark Lucas- a nearly mint 70’s era Overlin surfboard. The board belonged to his late wife Rindy Arnone-Lucas who passed away on April 1st 2005. Rindy, or Rose as she was known in high school, was a lifelong Merritt Island resident who spent her youth […]

History Of Surfing: But Will It Play On The East Coast? Re-post From Surfer Magazine online Why the ’60s surf boom exploded loudest out east October 11, 2017 By Davis Jones America’s top-selling board of the ’60s was not from the quiver of a West Coast superstar; it was the Hobie signature model of […]

Take a little time and read this hilarious article by Jeff Johnson in the Winter 79 issue of Wave Rider Magazine. Raging parties, raging hang-overs and raging hurricanes. Bikini contests, Karate demos, pier weidos and surfing too- featuring world famous surfers such as Shaun Thomson, Peter Townend and Pat Mulhern battling it out for big […]

The museum recently had a visit from Don Dickenson whose story was posted in this blog entry: Don Dickenson . Don wished to support the museum with a donation of his team board when he rode for Tabeling Surfboards in the 80’s. It is a real gem with an eye-catching airbrush and team stickers. It is […]

Another surf documentary by Will Lucas, Surf 64 Productions surf64.com. In the summer of 1975, six young surfers from The Jupiter Beach Florida area ventured out for their first El Salvador surf trip. The power of the Pacific Ocean was new to half the group, but as with any travelers at the time, other challenges […]

The Inlet is back! Announcing the Florida Pro Surf Competition presented by Florida Beer Company Sunshine State FL-Lager taking place January 18-26 at Sebastian Inlet State Park. This contest is a World Surf League qualifying event – QS6000 Women’s & QS 1500 Men’s. Plus, bonus competitions with champions & icons, featuring former world champs and […]

A Memorial Paddleout will be held for Cocoa Beach surfing legend and East Coast Surfing Hall of Fame member Pat O’Hare. The event will begin with a memorial at 10 am at Mambos Grill, located on the beach at the International Palms Resort, 1300 N. Atlantic Blvd, Cocoa Beach FL. The paddleout will be […]

FSM continues its mission of preserving Florida’s surfing history with the first phase of our Digital Archive Project. We recently completed the archiving of Wave Rider Magazine, an important Cocoa Beach, Florida based surf magazine published by John and Gunnar Griffin. (John Griffin) Surfing was trying to gain a permanent image in the early seventies, […]

The 1960’s was an important era for the sport of surfing. What was once an exotic pastime for a few became an international craze thanks to the Hollywood media machine that produced Gidget, Beach Blanket Bingo and dozens of similar teen movies. Bruce Brown’s Endless Summer was the trigger that released the final wave of […]

The Florida Surf Museum has donated $1000 to the Waves For Water Caribbean Hurricane Relief Initiative. W4W provides water filtration systems that provide an immediate supply of drinking water to communities most in need. If you are looking for a way to contribute to an island that has provided so much to Florida surfers, this […]

Epic is a over-used word these days but it was a perfect description for the grand opening of the “Gary Propper-Surf /Art/Entertainment” exhibit at the Florida Surf Museum. The museum overflowed with lengendary surfers, movers and shakers, hipsters, kids and locals alike. Many who showed up were friends of Gary who had not seen each […]

The museum recently received an inquiry from an individual concerning the history of an old surfboard he had acquired. We get messages like this quite often- mostly from someone wishing to sell it. *Disclaimer- we do not give estimates on surfboard values. The best way to determine that is to look on Craigslist or E-Bay […]

The 2017 Waterman’s Challenge (held June 3-4) continued the tradition of good weather, waves and vibes this year. We squeaked in two good days between two weeks of daily rain and were blessed with a surfable swell all weekend. Everyone from groms to geezers to Surfriders had divisions to compete in and the competition was […]

Brassy’s Nightclub was a legendary Rock and Roll venue in Cocoa Beach. The building was originally the A&P grocery store- located where the post office now stands. From 1979 to 1987 the club, established by Alan Hemenway, featured world class acts such as Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Blue Oyster Cult, The […]

Written by John Hughes- pictures and story provided by Eddie Legge. A lifetime of surfing naturally accumulates many memories. They are meaningful in different ways, but nothing lingers in the mind more than the many surfboards that carried you across the waves. The tactile, solid state of foam and fiberglass, the interface to the ephemeral […]

Melbourne Beach collector Bill Grey sent pics of this gem. Bill writes: This is an 8 ft. long Rainbow Surfboard, signed by Doug Wright, 1982. Absolutely Mint. I bought it from the original owner, artist in Cocoa Beach, Michael Moffitt. Doug used a Lightning Bolt that Wayne Coombs brought back from Hawaii in the 1970’s […]

The Florida Surf Museum is proud to present “Hobgood- The Exhibit” which chronicles the careers of twin brothers CJ and Damien Hobgood. They are the latest in a long line of champion surfers that have come from the Space Coast of Florida. The brothers grew up in Satellite Beach and quickly advanced in the highly […]

Robert Duvall made the famous declaration “Charlie don’t surf” when he hit the beach with his Yater Spoon in the Vietnam war classic “Apocalypse Now”. Years later the TV series “China Beach” revived the myth of surfers who pioneered the waves of the Vietnam conflict. Pensacola’s Tom Hutson contributed the story of the real surfers […]

This year’s family-based, local surf competition and paddleboard race saw wonderful Summer conditions for early June. A bit of leftover swell from Tropical Storm Bonnie coupled with windswell brought waves and a record number of participants. The 2016 Waterman’s Challenge saw around 250 competitors! The Florida State Paddleboard Race started as a beach start, with Stand […]

Before the internet, facebook, instagram and the seemingly infinite iterations of modern social media existed- postcards were the medium of choice to share your adventures and vacations with friends and family. Who doesn’t remember the racks of postcards to be found in every drugstore and souvenir shop in every beach town? Post cards were cheap […]

Florida Surf Museum is having it’s second swap meet on Saturday,the 23rd of April. Buy, sell trade. Get rid of stuff or take stuff home. No charge- first come first serve for the best spots. The museum will provide burgers and hotdogs. Please bring chips, drinks or anything good to eat. Bring your board too- […]

Pensacola native and surf history sleuth Tom Hutson came across this amazing photo that adds to our knowledge of early Florida surfing history. Here is Tom’s commentary: This is a “game changer” for you Pensacola guys interested in local surf history.Over the past few years I’ve been fascinated talking to some of my surfing elders […]

Noted surf photog, Tony Arruza, sent us these images from the Mars winter storm swell. Taken in Palm Beach County where all the best waves seem to be this year. Thanks, Tony! Stayed tuned for a great exhibit coming soon at the museum featuring Tony’s art in an innovative format.

By John Hughes In the early 1970’s Dick Catri got wind of a new space age fabric called Kevlar, that was lighter and more durable than the conventional fiberglass cloth commonly used in surfboard construction. It had been incorporated into commercial use- notably for tire belts- but was not available to the public. Dick contacted […]

We received this e-mail from Melbourne Beach’s Bill Gray- I just purchased this rare Catri Lightning Bolt. 1974-75, 6’8″ stinger, swallow tail. It has Catri’s signature under the glass (very rare). Donnie Mulhurn, thought he had glassed the board, at the old shop, on Desoto Parkway, Satellite Beach. The glass job and pin lines […]

By Dan Reiter Genesis 1:1 In the beginning, God created the seas. And the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. And when The Lord saw that the waters were without form, He said, “Let there be waves,” and there were waves. Then, seeing that the waves were good; indeed they were […]

The eighties was when Florida surfers began to emerge as powerhouses on the national competitive scene. From an article in the Orlando Sentinel: The Quest Continues Charlie Kuhn Leads East In Surfing Action BREVARD SPORTS September 21, 1989|By Mike Zizzo of The Sentinel Staff COCOA — Defending champion Charlie Kuhn of Indian Harbour Beach […]

We received this message from Derek Clifford from the chilly state of Maine: Merry Christmas to you! Just stopped in from Maine. My first time back in 30 years! I worked at Ron Jon back then! Somebody said to send a picture of my old Quiet Flight, now being used by my 11 y.o. daughter. Here you […]

Steve Bowman submitted this photo from’ the mid 70’s. He is sporting a Surfboards Hawaii twin fin strapped to a deluxe get-to-the beach rig. This was taken at the surf ghetto around Brevard Ave. and 2nd street south. He mentioned Bill Cochran, Allen Spier, Greg Mungall and Gary Propper as some of the neighborhood residents.

The New Year is with us and the Florida Surf Museum has had its first year under our new name. Although we still a local museum with our roots in the Cocoa Beach and Space Coast surfing community we have begun expanding our horizons toward the history of Florida Surfing in general, […]

Enjoy this clip from the 1968 movie “PLastic Fantastic”. This shows the highlight of the film where some of the best surfers from California- on a visit to Australia- compete with the best Australian surfers. The Americans, expecting to show the Australians how it is done, are shocked into the future by the Australians revolutionary […]

Tribute to Jim McNulty – East Coast Surfer – Skater – he made is name in surfing and skating in Ocean City Maryland and later in Indialantic Florida. This clip is from the “Extras” menu featured in the movie Board Shorts and made available with the help of Donna McNulty. Thanks to Will Lucas for […]

Sharon Cranston Photo: Shoretip Cuyno Once again WOW! Florida Women of the Waves. What a weekend we had! Thank you all for traveling from all over the state of Florida and beyond! This is a total labor of love to be able to put on an event like this. Special thanks to Florida Surf Museum, […]

Steve Bowman, of Cocoa Beach, submitted this photo of him blasting a high speed carve in the waters off Kiwanis Island in Merritt Island. Steve worked at the Tabelings Surfing World surf shop in the early 80s. He and Mike Tabeling would travel across Florida giving demonstrations to promote sales. Steve once had his wife, […]

Last year the museum received this message on our Facebook page: Jul 05, 2014 12:51pm Hi guys, I wanted to send this pic to whomever may be interested….we just left Cocoa Beach this morning after a week vacation. My dad (60) bought this board there 40 years ago and brought it back down with us. […]

This very nice vintage Salick twinnie was donated to the Florida Surf Museum by Pat and Tammy Jones of Mackinaw Illinois. Pat bought this surfboard at the original Salick shop on 3rd Street North When Pat was 10 years old. His family moved to Illinois after living in Cocoa Beach for five years and Pat […]

It was 1943 and World War II was raging overseas. German U-boats patrolled the Florida coast and the eastern seaboard, attacking merchant shipping, as Allied and Axis troops fought across battlegrounds in Europe and Africa. That same year a few Daytona Beach high schoolers were enjoying an idyllic summer surfing warm Florida waves. These photos […]

Me with a Hobie Gary Propper model ca. 1974. I borrowed it from a friend of my dad and surfed it every day that summer. Went into the navy the next year and later heard he sold it in a garage sale for $35 Posted by John Hughes on Thursday, June 25, 2015

Ron Jon Surf Shop team rider Caroline Marks surfing a fun summer swell at home in Melbourne Beach Florida the week before moving to California and dominating the 2015 NSSA Nationals. At 12 years old Caroline has the power and flow that a seasoned veteran would possess and its clear she has a special connection […]

SWAP MEET II July 19th at the pavilion, Tables PAFB. 11am to 2pm Come join us for our second swap meet. Our last one was so much fun, we are doing it again. Bring a potluck dish if you can and beverages. The museum will provide burgers and dogs. Last time there were lots […]

Categories

The Florida Surf Museum preserves and documents the unique history and culture of East Coast surfing. Experience the heritage and traditions of the surfing community through events, exhibits and programs.